Open house

Municipal Service Center welcomes visitors

Jaymie Depew

Journal Staff Writer

jdepew@miningjournal.net

The facade of the new Marquette Municipal Service Center along Wright Street. (Journal photos by Jaymie Depew)

MARQUETTE — In honor of National Public Works Recognition Week, the Marquette Public Works Department held an open house from 2-6 p.m. Monday at the new Municipal Service Center where community members had the opportunity to tour the building.

Employees completed the move into the new service center in October, said Scott Cambensy, director of public works.

“It’s nice to finally have everybody here instead of all over Marquette,” Cambensy said. “If we need to get ahold of somebody now, they’re pretty easy to find.”

The new structure, located at 1100 Wright St., is now home to several city departments that had been spread among different buildings.

The service center was designed and built by Gundlach Champion Inc. and Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber Inc.

Several service vehicles are seen in the vehicle storage room, which holds over 60 parking spaces. (Journal photos by Jaymie Depew)

The project team was recently recognized for their work on the 112,922-square-foot facility, earning an Associated General Contractors’ Build Michigan Award, and an Engineering Merit Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Michigan.

The former service center was located along Baraga Avenue but was relocated to accommodate the construction of Duke LifePoint’s UP Health System-Marquette hospital. The city qualified for $18 million in brownfield reimbursements to be used for the new center.

Gundlach officials said delays in negotiations between the city and the health care company forced the city to put a hold on construction contracts, stalling the project for eight months, according to a press release issued by Gundlach. However, the team was able to meet the original scheduled completion date. According to officials, the worksite had zero accidents over the more than 80,000 work-hours logged on the project.

The facade of the new Marquette Municipal Service Center along Wright Street. (Journal photos by Jaymie Depew)

Several service vehicles are seen in the vehicle storage room, which holds over 60 parking spaces. (Journal photos by Jaymie Depew)

The facade of the new Marquette Municipal Service Center along Wright Street. (Journal photos by Jaymie Depew)